Reshaping Worth the Effort

[Crackpot]

Hello Everyone.

I just completed two and a half days of reshaping and resharpening all of my turning tools. As mentioned by some other posters, the skews were the hardest to reshape but the end result was worth it. I even have a couple of the Easy Wood Tools with the carbide cutters and resharpened them as well. After figuring out all of the tips and tricks with the different jigs, I could not be more pleased with the end result.

My tools cut like a hot knife through butter now. I'm working on a wall sculpture now and mounted a slab of red oak on my lathe and cut the surface down and hollowed out some areas in no time flat, no tear out, and I needed to follow up with very little sanding. I must say, I'm impressed.

I've been grinding with a slow speed bench grinder and One Way Wolverine Jigs for the better part of a year, and thought they were doing a good job, but the edge and ease of cut I get from the Tormek is no comparison. 

My recommendation is to spend the time needed to get your tools shaped the right way, then just touch n turn. I also love the face that I can touch up my carbide cutters.

[tooljunkie]

Hi Crackpot

I don't have a lathe yet but would love to at some time.

What stone are you using to touch touch up your carbide cutters?

Dan

[Herman Trivilino]

My tools cut like a hot knife through butter now. I'm working on a wall sculpture now and mounted a slab of red oak on my lathe and cut the surface down and hollowed out some areas in no time flat, no tear out, and I needed to follow up with very little sanding. I must say, I'm impressed.

I worked for several years as a carpenter.  Power tools were used for everything a power tool could be used for, so I thought that if were ever to become an accomplished carpenter I'd need to own all the power tools needed to make any project look like it was done by an accomplished carpenter. 

It wasn't until I started sharpening tools on my Tormek that I learned I was wrong.  For example, I could never get good results with a chisel, and thought I needed a router to mortice a door hinge.  But I now know that with a sharp chisel I can succeed.  Same thing with hand planes, etc.

If you think you don't know how to use chisels and handplanes because you've never had success with them, it's much more likely that they simply aren't properly sharpened.  To work correctly, these tools need to be razor sharp.  Then they are a pleasure to use.

[Crackpot]

I am using the original wheel that came with my Tormek. Gave evrything I sharpened a good turn at the lathe yesterday and the amount of shaving I crated versus sawdust is amazing. I agree with what others have said: "Never underestimate the power and pleasure of a sharp tool."

[tooljunkie]

Hi Crackpot
So you used the original wheel that came with my Tormek SG-250?

How did it work on carbide?
It is said in the manual to not work for carbide that you should use the SB-250 Blackstone Silicon.

Dan

[Ken S]

Hi, Crackpot.  Welcome to the forum.  After your marathon sharpening run, do you notice any appreciable reduction in the diameter of your grinding wheel?

Ken

[Ern]

Nothing like good edges on tools to make quality work easier.

While you can touch up the EWT cutters that way, I'd say the Easy Finisher bevel has been polished at the factory and can't be reproduced short of diamond paste on a jeweller's lapping wheel.